What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ware has the most people working from home (12.3%).

Windham has the most renters (52.6% rent).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ware	Windham
People
Population	10,048Lowest	23,961Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.1±4.7Highest 11% above U.S.	33.7±1.9Lowest 13% below U.S.
Kids under 18	19.1%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22%	20.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Windham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	14.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	22.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.4%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	15.2%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$67,475±$15kHighest 16% below U.S.	$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S.
	Ware and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$289,700±$28kHighest 13% below U.S.	$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,043±$109Lowest 26% below U.S.	$1,107±$69Highest 22% below U.S.
	Windham and Ware are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,237Lowest 36% above U.S.	$4,633Highest 49% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	64.3%±16.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%	57.1%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ware and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	20.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Highest 20 yrs older than U.S.	1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 8% above U.S.	24 minLowest 8% below U.S.
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#267 of 282 in MA	#143 of 149 in CT
School district	Ware	Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS
High school in town	Ware Junior/Senior High School	Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.1Highest	9.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.